Chapter 1: Rude Awakenings

"Mimi are you awake? Mimi? Mimiiii? MIRANDA MCMAHON THE TRAIN LEAVES IN HALF AN HOUR!" James Potter shouted at his friend who instantly jolted upright.

"Bloody Hell!" She cried jumping out of bed and throwing stuff into her trunk. Mimi and James were heading back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that morning along with their friends Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and Sirius Black. Mimi quickly shoved all her belongings into her trunk and threw on old jeans and a wrinkled shirt. Not even bothering to brush her long black hair she sped downstairs.

"Are you still here? How much time is left?" Mimi cried once she entered the kitchen. The boys looked up from their toast and laughed at their friend.

"Good job Mimi, you just got packed and ready in 5 minutes," James smiled at his friend. Mimi glared at him and shoved Sirius off his chair.

"What was that for?" Sirius asked rubbing his bottom.

"This is my favorite chair," Mimi told him matter-of-factly while helping herself to some pumpkin juice.

"Well my bottom is my favorite place to be kissed," Sirius told her sticking it in her face.

"Sirius! Honestly," Mimi said laughing. Sirius threw a roll at her and pulled over a chair.

"Let's go find a compartment," Sirius said once they had successfully boarded the Hogwarts Express.

"I'm off to the prefects carriage," Remus said.

"Booo!" Sirius and Mimie chorused as he walked off. They didn't approve of the Marauder holding a prefect position.

"If you see Lily tell her I say hi and I missed her," James added as Remus disappeared from sight. After walking a bit more James, Sirius, Mimi, and Peter found a compartment. They walked inside and settled down.

"Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack."

"Mimi! Is it necessary to do that," James said at last as Mimi clacked her teeth together.

"Yes, I'm bored!" Mimi told him

"Oh! Oh! Me too, let's play a game!" Sirius said happily and Mimi's hazel eyes sparkled in delight.

"Let's play I Spy!" Mimi suggested. James and Peter groaned, Mimi always liked to play I Spy, but Sirius agreed right away loving any sort of amusement.

"Me first!" Mimi declared. "I Spy… something that is blue!" James, Peter, and Sirius's eyes quickly began searching around for the blue thing.

"James jeans?" Peter asked but Mimi shook her head.

"Peter's eyes?" James asked but Mimi shook her head again.

"Oh I got it! The chocolate frog box!" Sirius cried waving it around. Mimi grinned and nodded.

"My turn! I spy something that is green!" Sirius said and everyone began searching.

"The cauldron cake bags?" Mimi inquired but Sirius said no. "Mimi's magazine?" Peter asked but Sirius said no.

"Mimi's shirt?" James asked and Sirius nodded.

"

Bingo Prongs your turn." James opened his mouth when Remus walked in, "Oh no Mimi you haven't forced them to play I Spy again have you?" Remus asked.

"Yes, who doesn't love I Spy? And I didn't force it, I simply encouraged the playing of this nice pastime," Mimi responded.

"I don't love I Spy, but be quiet it's my turn," James said. "I spy something that is- hott and redheaded!" He said as Lily Evans walked by. Mimi rolled her eyes but Sirius became annoyed, "There are no redheads in here!" He cried not picking up on what was going on.

"Padfoot! Don't be dumb! He's talking about Lily who's out there," Remus told him pointing towards Lily. Mimi got up to say hi to Lily, she knew Lily would never willingly enter the Marauder compartment, especially with James present, but she and Lily were still friends and Mimi had missed her.

"Oi, Mimi! Where are you going?" James asked.

"To say hi to Lily," Mimi answered. James looked bewildered. "Can she do that?" He asked Sirius. Sirius pondered the question for a moment than answered, "Yes, but only when she's wearing blue." James grew more confused, "Mimi isn't wearing blue!?" Sirius thought again, "Well then I suppose she can do it all the time then." James groaned, and watched as Mimi hugged Lily.

"Lily!"

"Mimi, hi! How was your summer?" Lily asked her friend giving her a hug. She stepped back and observed her friend. Mimi was very small for a 16 year old being just barely 5 feet and very thin and petite. She had thick black hair that cascaded past her bottom and sparkling hazel eyes that were always filled with love and laughter. Her rosy cheeks and big smile completed her cute looks.

"It was lovely? How was yours? I got your letters, but besides Petunia being a bitch was it any fun?" Mimi asked. Lily smiled and nodded, "Yes, but I am very glad to be back. And away from Petunia," she said with a laugh. Just then the rest of the Marauders appeared behind Mimi. Lily sighed, she loved Mimi but she hated the rest of the Marauders.

"Lily, my love! How was your summer?" James asked with a smile.

"Lovely, 3 months away from you what could be better?" Lily retorted. James looked hurt. Remus smiled at Lily, "Nice to see you again." Lily smiled, Remus was the only Marauder besides Mimi that she liked. "You too Remus."

"It's nice to see me again isn't it? I suppose your letters explaining how much you missed me got lost over the summer?" Sirius asked.

"As they always do," Lily glowered at him. Just then Lily's friends, Sarah and Arabella walked over.

"Hey, Mimi!" The girls hugged their friend.

"How come we don't get as many hugs as Mimi?" Sirius asked.

"Because we like Mimi better than you," Sarah answered not missing a beat. Sirius smiled, "Only on the outside." Everyone rolled their eyes, and Sirius at last getting the hint stalked back into the compartment. Mimi looked around and saw James about to open his mouth and knowing Lily would get pissed off eventually and walked off after Sirius. She opened the compartment door and saw Sirius magically changing his outfit replacing his street clothes into his school robes.

"Good idea Sirius," Mimi smiled and quickly did the same. She sat down next to him and sighed. Sirius mimicked her sigh making it ten times more dramatic and Mimi laughed.

"What's up Mimi?" Sirius asked. Mimi was about to sigh again then stopped herself, Sirius loved to mimic sighs and she wasn't in the mood really.

"Nothing, I am just not looking forward to another long year of James chasing after Lily and Lily rejecting him and complaining about him." Sirius nodded in agreement, "Nobody is Meems, nobody is."

Mimi felt herself being shaken awake for the second time that day, but awoke to her nestled on Sirius's thigh and his face two inches away from hers.

"Argh Sirius! I'm awake!" Mimi cried jumping off him and next to James who was laughing at her response.

"Soory Meems, but we're here and I didn't want you left on the train," Sirius grinned at her as they began filing out.

The Marauders, Lily, Sarah, and Arabella settled into the seats in the Great Hall and waited for the sorting to begin. Professor McGonagall entered with a long line of timid looking 11 year olds. She lead them to a stool with a dusty old hat perched on top and everybody watched in amusement as the first years jumped back in fright as the hat began to sing.

The school started with the brave founders four

Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin

But yet the seem divided so four different houses they did choose

Ravenclaw chose those with only the intellect that she did adore

And Gryffindor chose only those with the heart of a lion and no fear in which to loose

Hufflepuff took all those who wished to learn of the magical ways

And Slytherin took those who looked on to Pureblood days

So here I am yet again at another year

Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin

Four noble wizards, four noble houses

So place me on your head and have no fear

I will place you where you best fit in!

Everyone clapped at the Sorting Hat's new song and waited as McGonagall called up the new student.

"Katrina Bing!" A small girl with curly red hair marched up to the stool and placed that hat on her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat called out and the Great Hall erupted in cheers, the Gryffindor table being the loudest. McGonagall called up all the first years until she at last reached, "Victor Zabini!"

"SLYTHERIN!" The hat called out. Sirius and James called out "BOO!" but were quickly hushed by Mimi and Remus. The hall grew quiet as Dumbledore rose.

"I would just like to say Welcome and Welcome Back!" Dumbledore said his eyes twinkling behind his half moon spectacles. "I have just a few reminders before we all divulge in the delicious feast. First, I would like to tell all the first years that going into the Forbidden Forest is not allowed with no exceptions! A few of our older students could do well with remembering that too," Dumbledore looked pointedly at the Marauders who grinned back. "Also, Mr. Filch has told me that you can view of full list of all banned objects in his office if necessary. Now without further ado… LET THE FEAST BEGIN," Dumbledore raised his hand and piles of delicious food appeared on the table.

"Wman, I mwiszed dis," Sirius said his mouth so crammed with food nobody could understand him.

"I think he means, Man, I missed this," Remus translated munching much more conservatively on his own pile of food. Mimi laughed and said, "I think we all missed this!" as she ate a spoonful of corn.

"There is only one thing I missed more than the food," James said as he ripped apart his chicken.

"What's that?" Mimi asked and then wanted to kick herself. She knew the answer why encourage fights?

"Lily!" He gazed longingly at Lily who was in deep conversation with Arabella next to Mimi. "That makes one of us," Lily snapped not even looking at James.

Okay, so she wasn't in that deep of a conversation.

"I am really excited to start the new year!" Sarah announced obviously avoiding another James/Lily shouting match.

"Ooh me too me too! A whole new batch older batch of girls to seduce, new broom closets to seduce them in and-" Sirius stopped when he noticed the glares of all the girls around him.

"And of course classes!" He added as an attempt to save himself. It didn't work.

"I honestly don't know what self-respecting girl would sleep with you," Lily told him her voice dripping with disgust.

"You must not know a lot of girls," Sirius joked. Lily rolled her eyes and continued talking with Arabella, went back to shoveling ridiculous amounts of food in his mouth, Remus and Sarah began to tell jokes, Peter stole a potato from a second years plate, and James continued staring at Lily. Mimi looked around the table and frowned. She had stupidly gotten her hopes up over the summer that maybe this year would be different: Lily and James would get along, there would peace between Sarah, Arabella, Lily and the Marauders, and all would be great. She couldn't believe how stupid she was to think that.

"I'm going to go," Mimi said suddenly getting up and walking out of the Great Hall. Everybody exchanged a confused look. Where was she going? Why leave early from the feast? Did she realize she didn't have the password? Remus sighed and looked at Lily.

"Lily I know were prefects and responsible for leading up the first years, but do you think I could go follow Mimi, she seemed upset. I'll try to get back in time to help but just in case." Lily nodded and Remus hurried after his friend. He found her pacing in front of the Fat Lady obviously upset that she couldn't get in.

"Mimi, there you are! Gosh you move fast," Remus approached her panting slightly after running after her. Mimi smiled, "You didn't have to follow me, I was just full and tired. Of course I forgot the small fact that I needed the password." Remus looked down at her and could tell she was lying.

"That's all? You were just full and tired?" He questioned her. Mimi frowned, "Yes, Remus. I was just full and tired. Now are you going to give me the password or not?" Remus was surprised at her tone but didn't push the matter any further.

'Pickled Sprouts' he told the Fat Lady who swung open allowing them in. Remus followed her to the bottom of the girls dormitory steps (he would have gone further but he Sirius and James had learned in their third year that was a bad idea) and said, "Well good night then Mimi." Mimi turned from the third stare and looked at him.

"Night Remus. Thanks for letting me in and sorry I snapped at you. Like I said I am really tired, I had quite the rude awakening this morning," she attempted a grin and then turned and hurried up the stairs.